Reversible shell feeder



Nov. 1, 1949 F. L'RA-TAICZAK 2,436,878

REVERSIBLE SHELLFEE'DER Filed Jan. 1, 1945 a sheets-sheet 1 INVENTOR.

BYWM 1- 1 1949 F. l. RATAICZAK .4 3

REVERSIBLE ;SHELL.iFEEDER Filed Jan. 1, 1945 8 Sheets-Sheet 2 7 Z INVENTOR.

Nov. 1', 19 49 F. I. RATAICZAK REVERSIBLE SHELL FEEDER 8" Sheets-Sheet 3 fine Jan. 1'. 1945 IN VEN TOR.

MIN U *IIQI vphwnw I m m Nov. 1, 1949 F. 1. RArmczAK, REVERSi'BLi-ELSHELL FEEDER:

8 Sheets-Sheet 4 Filed Jan. 1 1945 IFIIL'L INVENTOR Nov. 1, 1949 F. l. RATAICZAK REVERSIBLE SHELL FEEDER 8 Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed Jan. 1, 1945 Nov. 1, 1949 g RATAIcZAK 2,486,878

REVERSIBLE SHELL FEEDER Filed Jan. 1, 1945 8 Sheets-Sheet 7 Nov. 1, 1949 F. l. RATAlczAK 2,486,878

mavnnsxsma srmm, mmim 7 Filed Jan. 1, 1945' s Sheets-Sheet 8 JW INVENTOR.

Patented Nov. 1, 1949 REVERSIBLE SHELL FEEDER Francis I. Rataiczak, Dayton, Ohio, assignor to General Motors Corporation, Dayton, Ohio, a

corporation'of Delaware Application January 1, 1945, Serial No. 570,906

12 Claims.

This invention relates to ordnance and more particularly to an improved machine gun construction.

This application is a continuation in part, of my copending application S. N. 536,229, filed May 19, 1944.

One object of this invention is to provide an improved shell feeding mechanism.

More specifically, it is an object of this invention to provide an improved shell feeding mechanism which may be changed over from a righthand feed to a lefthand feed very quickly.

A further object of this invention is to provide an improved shell feeding mechanism which prevents jamming of the gun due to improper feeding.

A still further object of this invention is to provide means for preventing overfeeding.

Another object of this invention is to provide a cartridge hold-down mechanism which permits a cartridge which has prematurely moved into place above the feed opening in the feedwa to move upwardly out of the way of the bolt mechanism upon recoil so as to prevent jamming the gun.

Still another object of this invention is to provide an improved shell feeding mechanism which is interchangeable with the corresponding mechanism of other guns.

Further objects and advantages of the present invention will be apparent from the following description, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, wherein a preferred form of the present invention is clearly shown.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a side elevational view of a gun embodying my invention;

Fig. 2 is a horizontal sectional view looking down on parts of the shell feeding mechanism when removed from the breech cover and is taken on line 2-2 of Fig. 3;

Fig. 3 is a vertical sectional view taken on line 3-3 of Fig. 4 and shows the relationship of the shell feeding mechanism to the cover and the cam tube;

Fig. 4. is a sectional view taken on line Fig. 2;

Fig. 5 is an elevational view, partly in section, showing the shell or belt feed slide assembly;

Fig. 6 is an elevational view of the one type of cartridge depressor;

Fig. '7 is a sectional view taken on line 'l! of Fig. 5;

Fig. 8 is a fragmentary sectional view taken on line 8--8 of Fig. 3 illustrating the manner in 2 which the belt feed slide assembly is locked in place relative to the cover;

Fig. 9 is a fragmentary sectional view similar to Fig. 4 but showing a modified shell feeding construction;

Fig. 10 is a sectional view taken substantially on line Ill-I0 of Fig. 9;

Fig. 11 is an elevational view showing the feed pawl arm;

Fig. 12 is a sectional view taken substantially on line l2-l 2 of Fig. 9;

Fig. 13 is a sectional view taken substantially on line l3l3 of Fig. 10;

Fig. 14 is a perspective view of the mechanism shown in Figs. 10 through l3 showing the bottom of the shell feeding mechanism with the shell feeding rack removed Fig. 15 is a perspective view looking downwardly upon a. gun with the cover raised showin the arrangement of the modified shell feeding mechanism for lefthand feed; and

Fig. 16 is a view similar to Fig. 15 but showing the arrangement of the shell feeding mechanism for righthand feed.

Referring now to Fig. 1 of the drawing, reference numerals 50, 52 and 54 designate the receiver housing, the barrel, and the cover respectively, of a .60 caliber rapid fire machine gun embodying my invention. The cover for the receiver housing is pivotally secured to the receiver housing at 56. A belt feed mechanism, generally designated by the reference numeral 58, is removably secured to the cover member 54 whereby the mechanism 58 may be removed and turned end for end so as to change over from righthand feed to lefthand feed or vice versa in a manner to be explained more fully hereinafter. A feedway 50 is carried by the receiver housing 50 and cooperates with the belt feed mechanism to direct the feed belt and the cartridges carried thereby into the breech housing 50. A cartridge stop assembly 62 is removably secured to the feedway 60 and serves to stop the cartridges over the slot 285 in the feedway and prevents the cartridges from moving all the way across the feedway.

There are two shell feeding mechanisms disclosed herein, the first of which is shown in Figs. 2 through 8 and corresponds to the shell feeding mechanism discolsed in my above mentioned copending application. Since this application is directed primarily to the construction and operation of the shell feeding mechanism, the details of the remaining gun parts will not be described herein except insofar as necessary for an understanding of the operation of the shell feeda more complete description of the other parts of the gun, reference is hereby made to the specification and drawings in said co-pending application.

For certain types of gun installations it is desirable to feed the shells into the gun from the right hand side of the gun whereasin other gun installations it is desirable to feed the shells into the gun from the left hand side of the gun. It is also desirable to make all guns alike insofar as possible and to arrange the parts so that the shells may be fed into any gun fromieither side merely by making a few simple changes. In the construction used in this gun;.:the' change over from lefthand feeding to righthand'feeding may "be made very simply and quickly.

As explained in my co-pendingapplication; the belt or shell feedin mechanism is operated. by the cam tube 206 which operates the belt feed slide assembly 2H3. The shells are carried by a suitable belt whichcomprises a pluralityof cartridge engaging links in accordance with wellknown-practice. The belt feed slide assembly Elli 'is-slidably supported on the feedrack support element 250 which in turn is carried by the housin element 252 as best shown in Fig. 4. The housing 252 projects from opposite sides of the cover 54 as shown in Fig. 3. A pair of belt feeding pawls 254 are pivotally carriedby the beltlceed slide assembly 218 and are adapted to engage the links of the belt. Dot-dash lines have been used-in Fig. 4 to'show a conventional cartridge and belt link. A compression spring 256 biases the belt feeding pawls 254 downwardly i-nto-belt-engag-ing position. v The arrangement of the'belt feed slide assembly is such that rotation of the tube 206 causes the pawls 2-54 to feed the shells intothe breech housing from whence the shells are movedintothe chamber of the gun barrel by the bolt head I56 as the bolt head moves forward.

'-A-pair"0f belt =holdingpawls 260 are mounted on stationary pivots 262 and normally serveto prevent the shells from moving away from the breech housing when the belt feedpawls '254 move away fromthe breech housing to pick up a ncwshell. The belt holding pawls 260 are each biased into'belt holdin position by a compression spring such as the spring 264. By virtue of the above-described arrangement the'pawls' 260 will allow the cartridges carried by the belt to move in the one direction only and. will prevent movement in the wrong direction.

A pair-of slidable cartridge depressors 272 are provided, each of- Which has a-cartridge-depressingpafwl or projection 218. Each of the cartridge depressors is'slidably mounted within the housing .2 52- and is biased into the full-line position shown'in Fig. 3 by a compression spring 216. Each of the compression springs 216 is mounted on: a pin 278. Each of the .pins 218 is rigidly secured to a lug 280 which is .punched out of the sidewall of the feed rack support 2513 as best shown in Fig. 2. The free end of each pin operates within a slot .28! formed in the-inturned end of the corresponding cartridge depressor as shown in Fig. 2.

1 Referring now to Fig; 3 in which I have shown the various positions of the cartridges as they move-into the breech housing, it is apparent that the lug-214 projects downwardly too far to allow the cartridge to.- pass thereunder while sliding on the fe'edway 60. As a consequence'thereof'the cartridge depressor is forcedto move ahead of the cartridge until the cartridge is properly lined up with the slot 285 provided in the feedway 60 and the bolt head 55 has moved away from beneath the slot at which time the cartridge drops down and the lug 214 moves back over the cartridge so as to hold it in place until the bolt head shoves the cartridge ahead into the chamber of the gun barrel. The guide plate 286 carried by qthemover-"54 helps to guiole the cartridge into place.

The plate 286 may be removably secured to the cover in any suitable manner and is provided with a .fiange.288 which holds the flange 290 of the housing 252 in place (Fig. 8) so as to make it xim'possible'to remove the housing 252 without first removing the guide plate 286. a "The housing '252 is also held in place relative ;to:the...cover .54 Joynmeans of a pair of latch elementsl292 as best shown in Fig. 8. The latch elements'f292 are carried by the studs 2% which are slidably supported in the side walls of the element250. Normally the latch elements 292 and thestuds 294 are held in latching-position by the belt feed slide assembly 2H5. The outer ends of the latch elements 292 interlockwi-tlithe slots 2-96 provided in the plates '29s and the adjacent side wall of the cover 54 as shown. As best shown inFig. 3 reinforcing plates-2 98 are secured to the side walls of the cover 54 so as'toreinforce the cover at this point. -By virtue of the above described arrangement it'is necessary'to remove the belt feedslide assembly 'ZIG from the housing 5252 before it is possible to disengage the latches 1292 As best shown in Fig. 4 the lower ends of the element 250 are inturned so as to form the lower guides for the belt feed slide assembly 2-16. Strips '300 are attached to the inner sides of the element'250 so as to provide the upper guides for the belt feed slide assemblyr l6.

=In order to-remove the belt feed slide assembly from the housing 252 it is necessary-to remove the'zme'chanism within the cam tube 206. This mechanism may be removed by lifting the cover 54-and sliding outthe mechanismfromwithin the cam tube 206, as explained in my co-pending application. This mechanism being removed, thecam tube is free to rotate whereby the slide assembly 216 may be removed from the housing 252 through the end slot 253 '(Fig. 1). Removal of the slide assembly 216 makesit possible to disengage the latch elements 292 from the'slots 2 96 (see Fig. 8) whereby the housing 252 may be removed.

The slot 2| 0 provided in the cam tube may be arranged for feeding the shells into the receiverfrom the righthand side (see'Fig. l6) or it may be arranged to feed thesh'ells into'the receiver from the lefthand side (see Fig. 15). When-it is desired to change over from righthand shellfeeding tolefthand'shell feeding it is necessary to change the cam tube so as to change over from acamtube' having a righthand helical slot 'to acam tube having a lefthand helical slot. It is also necessary to remove the housing 252 and reverse it end for end so as to move'the belt feeding and holding pawls from the one side of the gun to the other side of the gun.

It will be noted that there are two cartridge depressors 212,- whereas only one cartridge depressor is required for feeding in a given direction. The reason for providing two is to always have one close to the rear end of the cartridge for holding the cartridge down regard less of which way the housing 252 is arranged.

In order to make it possible to clear the gun of any cartridges and so as to disengage the shell feeding belt from the pawls 254 and 260 I have provided a shaft 330 which is pivoted in the side walls of the housing 252 and which is provided with a pair of handles 332 disposed on the outside of the casing 252. The shaft 330 has secured thereto five cam levers 334, 336, 338, 340 and 342 which function in the following manner upon rotating the shaft from the position in which it is shown in Figs. 3 and 4 in a counter clockwise direction as viewed in Fig. 3. The cams 336 and 340 engage the belt holding pawls 260 adjacent the upper ends thereof so as to lift the lower ends of the pawls 200 out of the path of the links of the belt and the cartridges carried by the links. The pawls 334 and 342 engage the cartridge depressor cranks 344 which serve to engage the cartridge depressor slide elements 212 so as to move them out of cartridge depressing position. The cam lever 338 has its free end pivotally secured to a spring abutment element 348 which is also pivotally secured to an arm 350 carried by the shaft 352 which also carries the cartridge depressor cranks 344. The element 348 moves downwardly as the free ends of the levers 338 and 350 move downwardly in response to operation of the handles 332. This downward movement of the element 348 causes the element 348 to engage the upper end of the pawls 254 so as to lift these pawls at the same time that the pawls 260 are lifted. The arm 350 and the cranks 344 are free to rotate on the shaft 352. A spring 354 biases the element 348 into the position in which it is shown in Figs. 2 and 3 and serves to hold the cam segments 334 to 342 in the position in which they are shown in Figs. 2 and 3.

For purposes of illustration, the cartridge (18 pressors 212 have been shown as slidable elements biased into cartridge depressing position by springs 216 whereas the cartridge depressors could be pivoted levers biased into cartridge depressing position by suitable spring means which would yieldably hold the cartridge depressed so that if a cartridge would begin to move into place before the bolt head has moved back, it would be possible for the cartridge to move up out of the path of the bolt head so as to allow the bolt head to move back. This latter type of cartridge depressor is used in the modification shown in Figs. 9 through 16.

In certain types of gun installations, the inertia effect of the cartridge belt tends to feed the cartridges into the gun more rapidly than desired. Various arrangements may be used to compensate for this inertia effect. One such arrangement, for example, which may be used. comprises a suitable friction means for resisting the movement of the belt so that the belt will not move faster than the feed pawl 254 directs. Another arrangement has been illustrated herein in Figs. 9 through 16.

A modified form of feed mechanism is shown in Figs. 9 through 16 which may be used in place of the mechanism shown in Figs. 2 through 8 without altering the cover and cam tube construction.

The construction and operation of many of the parts in the modification shown in Figs. 9 through 16 are identical or very similar to the construction and operation of the corresponding parts shown in Figs. 2 through 8 of the drawing. The same reference numerals are used to designate parts of the two feed mechanisms which are identical or similar in construction and operation.

One manner in which the mechanism of Figs. 9 through 16 differs from the mechanism described hereinabove and shown in Figs. 2 through 8, is in the construction of the means for holding the cartridges down after they move in line with the feed slot 285 in the feedway 60. Thus, in place of providing two permanent slidable cartridge depressors such as the depressors 212, I have provided two interchangeable cartridge hold-down levers 400 (see Figs. 9, 10, 13 and 14). One of the levers is used when cartridges are to be fed in from the left and the other is used when cartridges are to be fed in from the right. The two levers are alike except for minor 'details. Thus, the one is made to fit snugly against the one side wall of the casing 252 and the other is made to fit snugly against the opposite side wall. The particular hold-down lever used at any one time is journaled on the removable pin 402 which is arranged adjacent one end of the casing or housing 252. A coil spring 404 (see Fig. 10) pushes down on the hold-down lever so as to yieldably hold the cartridges down in place as the bolt head I56 pushes the cartridge forward into the bore of the gun. A' slot 406 is provided in each hold-down lever 400 for limiting the travel of the hold-down lever. A removable stop rod 408 passes through the slot 406 as shown. In Fig. 15, I have shown a cartridge hold-down lever of the type used for lefthand feed whereas in Fig. 16 I have shown the type of cartridge hold-down lever used for righthand feed.

By virtue of the construction and arrangement of the cartridge hold-down levers 400, it is apparent that in the event that a cartridge prematurely moves into place above the slot 285 before the bolt head has had a chance to move back, the cartridge together with the cartridge hold-down lever may be elevated by the bolt head so as to allow the bolt head to pass under the cartridge without jamming the gun.

In the shell feeding mechanism disclosed in Figs. 2 through 8 no provision was made for liftin the belt feed pawls in the event of overfeed. Under certain circumstances, the inertia of the cartridges and the cartridge links is sufficient to prematurely feed a cartridge without the aid of the belt feed pawl and prior to the time that the belt feed pawl has moved into cartridge feeding position. In order to prevent jamming of the gun under such circumstances, I have provided an auxiliary arm 4! which has its lower end 4l2 arranged directly above the cartridge slot 285 provided in the feedway 60 as shown in Fig. 10. The auxiliary arm M0 is pivoted at M4 on a pin MS as shown in Figs. 10 and 11. A compression spring 411 biases the end 4E2 into cartridge engaging positions (see Figs. 9, i2 and 13). The upper end of the arm 4E0 is provided with a slot 4I8 which is arranged in engagement with a pin 420 carried by one of the links 422. The links 422 are secured to the shaft 424 (see Fig. 13), which also has secured thereto a link 428 for operating the belt feed pawl depressor 430 which is arranged to pivot about the shaft 330. By virtue of the above described arrangement, if a cartridge prematurely moves into place beneath the lower end 4i2 of the arm 440, the lower end 4l2 will be elevated thereby causing the belt feed pawl depressor 430 to push down on the upper end of the belt feed pawl 254 so 75 as to elevate the lower end of the belt feed pawl 7 as' s'hown' inFigs 12- with the result that as the belt-feed slide ID-moves the-belt feed pawl 254 towards the center of the feedway 6B, it-w'ill not tryto force anextra cartridge into the center position.

'-'Incomparing the construction of the device shown in Fig. 2 with the construction of the device shown in Fig. 13, it'will be noted that the spring 354 together with the spring abutment element 348 shown in Fig. '13, has been moved oil" to one'side so as-to make room for the belt feed pawl depressor 43B.

As shown in Figs. 15 and 16, only one auxiliary arm isused at any one time but two separate auxiliary arms areprovided which are very similar in construction but-one of which is used for rig-hthand shell feeding and the other of which is used for lefthand shell feeding. In other words; When'it is desired-to change over from lefthand feed to righthandfeed; itis necessary to remove the righthand auxiliary arm and substitute for it a lefthand auxiliary arm on the opposite side of the housing element 252 from the right hand feedposition. In either feed, the auxiliary arm is always nearest the cover pivot 56. The inner ends of the pins 4-16 which supportthe auxiliary arms are threaded into a tapped recessin the feed rack support 25!] as best-shown inFigs. 9 and'13. As shown in Figs. 10and 13 thereare two pins 466 provided. These pins also serve as the pivots for the belt holding pawls 260.

EAS in the construction shown in Figs. 2 through 8;.the belt holding pawls may be lifted out of belt holding position by operating one or the other of the handles 332. At the same time that operation of the handles 332 lifts the belt holding pawls out of belt holding position, the spring abutment element 348 pushes down on the upper end of the belt feed pawls so as to raise the lower ends of the belt feed pawls. This operation is the same as that described in connection with the construction shown in Figs. 2 through 8.

While the form of embodiment of the invention as herein disclosed constitutes a preferred form, it is to be understood that other forms might be adopted, as may come within the scope of the claims which follow.

What is claimed is as follows:

1. A shell feeding mechanism for use in feedin shells into the receiver of a rapid fire machine gun comprising in combination, a receiver, a casing having portions projecting from opposite sides of said receiver, a belt feeding rack supported within said casing, a feedrack support carried by said casing for supporting said feed rack, a belt feeding pawl mounted on said feed rack, a pair of belt holding pawls mounted within said casing for preventing movement of the cartridge belt in the wrong direction, a pair of cartridge depressors carried by said casing, said casing and the belt feeding and holding pawls supported thereby being adapted to be turned end for end as a unit upon change over from righthand shellfeeding to lefthand shell feeding.

2. In a rapid fire machine gun, a receiver housing, a cover for said receiver housing, shell feeding mechanism carried between said receiver housing and said cover, said shell feeding mechanism comprisin a reversible casing carried by said cover and having pivoted'spring' biased belt feeding and holding pawls disposed in the casing upon one side of the receiver housing and having a pivoted spring biased cartridge hold-down lever disposed in the casing on'the other side of the receiver, means for removably mounting said casing in either of two positions relative to said cover whereby said casin is removable from said cover and reversible so as to change over from a righthand feed to a lefthand feed.

3. In a machine gun, a receiver, a casing, a feed rack support carried by said casing, a feed rack slidable in said support, shell feeding pawl means carried by 'saidfeed rack, means for removably securing said casing to said receiver, and means for preventing removal of said casing from said receiver when said feed rack is in a predetermined position.

4. In a rapid fire machine gun, a receiver housing, a covering for said receiver housing, shell feeding 'meohanismcarried between said receiver housing and said cover, said shell feeding mech-- anismcomprising acasing, means'for removably securing said casingto said cover, belt feeding pawls and belt holding pawls disposed in the casing-on one side of said receiver, said casing and said cover having interengaging parts whereby said casing and said belt feeding and holding pawls are removable from said cover and reversible end to end so as to change over from a righthand feed to a left-hand feed.

' 5. In a machine gun, a receiver, a cover for said receiver, a shell feeding-casing, a, feed rack support carried by said casing, a feed rack slidable in said support, a belt feeding pawl carried by said feed rack, a pair of belt holding pawls, means including fixed pivots for pivotally mounting said pawls "within said casing, cartridge depressor means, means for supporting said cartridge depressor means within said casing, and means for removably securing said casing to said cover whereby said casing may be reversed end for end for reversing the feed.

6. In a machine gun, a receiver provided with a cover, a reversible shell feed casing, a feed rack support carried by said casing, a feed rack slidable' in said support, holding means for removably securing said casing to said cover inl cluding means carried by said casing for locking said casing in place relative to said cover, said last named means being held in looking position by said feed rack when said feed rack is in shell feeding position within said casing.

7. In a machine gun, a receiver, a casing having one portion adapted to project on one side of said receiver and having another portion adapted to project onthe other side of said receiver, a feed rack support carried bysaid casing, a feed rack slidable in said support, a belt feeding pawl carri'edby said feed rack, a pair of belt holding pawls pivotally mounted within said casing, cartridge depressor means carried within said casing, and means for removably securingsaid casing to said receiver whereby said casing may be turned end for end so as to change over from right-hand shell feedingto left-hand shell feeding.

8. In a rapid fire machine gun, a receiver housing, a cover for. said housing, shell feeding mech anism disposed within said housing, said shell feeding mechanism comprising a casing reversible end to end and disposed between said cover and said housing, said casing having flanges projecting from opposite sides thereof, a cartridge guide plate, means for securing said guide plate to said cover, said guide plate having a projecting flange portion adapted to overlap one of said flanges on said casing so as to hold said casing in assembled relationship relative to said cover.

9; In a rapid fire machine gun, a receiver h0using, a cover for said housing, shell feeding mechanism disposed between said cover and said housing, said shell feeding mechanism comprising shell feeding pawls and a casing which serves as a support for said shell feeding pawls, and means for removably supporting said casing between said cover and said housing, said last named means being so constructed and arranged as to allow reversing said casing end for end.

10. In a rapid fire machine gun; a receiver housing; shell feeding mechanism for feeding shells into said receiver housing; and means for reversibly supporting said shell feeding mechanism relative to said housing; said shell feeding mechanism comprising a casing having end portions adapted to project on opposite sides of said housing, belt feeding pawl means disposed within one of said projecting ends of said casing, and cartridge depressor means disposed within the other end of said casing whereby upon reversal of said casing said pawl means are transferred from one side of said receiver housing to the other side of said receiver housing.

11. In a rapid fire machine gun, a receiver housing, a cover for said housing, shell feeding mechanism adapted to be disposed between said cover and said housing for feeding shells into said housing comprising a reversible casing having end portions adapted to project on opposite sides of said housing, support means for removably supporting said casing between said cover and said housing whereby said casing is reversible end to end, shaft means permanently mounted within one end of said casing, shell engaging pawl means permanently mounted upon said shaft means whereby upon reversal of said casing said pawl means are transferred from one side of said housing to the other side of said housing.

12. In a rapid fire machine gun, a receiver housing, a cover for said housing, shell feeding means disposed between said cover and said housing, said shell feeding means comprising a casing having end portions disposed on opposite sides of said cover and having its central portion cut away for the reception of said cover, said casing having .the shell feeding mechanism disposed on one side of said housing, and supporting means for removably supporting said casing relative to said housing, said last named means being arranged to support said casing relative to said cover with the shell feeding mechanism disposed on either side of said housing.

FRANCIS I. RA'IAICZAK.

REFERENCES GITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,293,021 Browning Feb. 4, 1919 1,314,734 Dawson et al. Sept. 2, 1919 1,747,546 Janecei; Feb. 18, 1930 2,037,244 Larsson et al. Apr. 14, 1936 2,101,886 Moore Dec. '7, 1937 2,113,202 Stange Apr. 5, 1938 2,124,911 Darne July 26, 1938 OTHER REFERENCES Report of Aberdeen Proving Ground, Maryland, on test of 15 mm. German aircraft machine gun. 

